News Story (Pennsylvania)
Jake Blumgart
Philly Voice
June 4, 2015
Full story
Tags: Employment, Wage Theft
Organizations mentioned/involved: Community Legal Services (CLS) of Philadelphia
DETAILS
The technical term for what Joyner alleges is “wage theft,” a broad term that includes an array of methods used by employers to avoid paying lawful compensation, including the common practices of failing to pay minimum wage, skimming of tips and refusing to pay for work performed before a sudden termination.
It’s a surprisingly widespread problem faced by some of society’s most vulnerable workers, who then face a difficult fight to get their rightfully earned wages.
Joyner said she and seven of her co-workers got together and sought answers on Google, where they discovered the services offered by Community Legal Services, a nonprofit law firm in Philadelphia that offers free legal aid in civil cases to plaintiffs unable to afford a private attorney. With the firm’s help, the workers are pursuing remuneration now, and their claims are under review.